The Miracles in the Shadow of the Spear

Yves Burkhardt, president of IG Warbird, on his morning walk.

As early as 8:30 a.m., there was already a flurry of activity at the Schänis airfield. Models were unloaded and assembled, and many old colleagues were greeted. Colleagues whom some hadn’t seen in quite a while due to the COVID-19 restrictions. This made everyone all the more eager to see what new creations had emerged in the various workshops in the meantime. But even tried-and-true models like Paul Haller’s large Skyraider or Kurt Wächter’s Morane demonstrated

that even thirty-year-old models still retain their charm and are still in great shape.

Still in the shadow of the Speer, Europe’s tallest Nagelfluh mountain, Yves Burkhardt and Rolf Kessler conducted the mandatory briefing. Two flight directors each ensured that the program could be carried out smoothly and safely.

Attending a Warbird meet for the first time were Fredy Gass and Marco Zaugg, who brought their two beautifully—

C-3605 by Fredy Gass and Marco Zaugg.

Hawker Tempest by Rolf Schönenberger and Urs Schirmer.

It was a bustling morning.

presented the turbine-powered C-3605 both on the ground and in the air. The Luftwaffe’s target-towing aircraft—which at the time were converted from the piston-engine C-3603—also thrilled pilots and spectators in Schänis as large-scale models. With a wingspan of 3.2 m, the brand-new, home-built Morane D3801 by “Kusi” Kindler was also very impressive; Markus flew it with great skill and true to the original design. Also making their debut at the event were two perfectly built Hawker Tempests by our Glarus colleagues Rolf Schönenberger and Urs Schirmer, each powered by DLA two-cylinder engines. Since 36 pilots were in attendance, many flight numbers were assigned—in some cases spontaneously—to

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flew together. Among them were two FW-190s from TopRC-Models, piloted by Beat Gohl and Heinz Neuhaus, as well as three large T-28 Trojan foam models, led by the youngest, 11-year-old pilot Rodito Nussbaumer, escorted by Noldi Peyer and Yves Burkhardt, as they explored the steel-blue sky above Schänis. Erich Wächter and Beat Frey demonstrated with their two Saito-powered AT-6s what it looks like when you train together regularly. The biplane contingent was also well represented in Schänis this year. Making their debut were Hugo Christen’s large Fokker triplane and Rolf Fritschi’s Nieuport N-28 C-1 “Bébé,” both painted in the colors of the Swiss Air Force of that era. Two large Spitfires and a Venom by Koni Oetiker, as well as Hanspeter Hofer’s masterfully built Me-109 in the former colors of the Swiss Air Force, proved that electric models don’t always have to be small. But—and this is what makes the event and the IG Warbird so appealing—smaller warbirds also have their place at our Warbird-

On September 11, 1993, the IG Warbird (IGW) was founded in Triengen by our “Corsair-Housi Messmer.” The IG Warbird was launched with a full-fledged television report on SF1, and out of sheer joy, Corsair-Messmer immediately staged a forced landing in tall grass with the landing gear still extended during the TV filming.

In the meantime, the IGW already has over 100 members from Switzerland and abroad. The IG Warbird is a voluntary interest group for anyone involved with warbirds in any way. Most of our members are model airplane enthusiasts, but we also have members interested in history, etc. The IGW strives to maintain its ties to the original Swiss Warbird scene; as a result, people like Max Vogelsang (former P-51 Mustang pilot, former Morane pilot) are also members of the IG Warbird.

IG Warbird strives to hold at least two air shows each year, one in early summer and one in the fall.

The website www.igwarbird.ch keeps members up to date. In addition, the club plans to organize excursions to museums or air shows.

Above all, however, the IG Warbird is about sharing experiences with one another. Especially in the warbird model scene, knowledge of engine installation, landing gear, batteries, surface treatment, decorations, and decals—as well as appropriate flight tactics and proper test flights for the often larger models—is extremely important. Newcomers to the scene are just as welcome as experienced pilots.

They always have a special place in the event. This was demonstrated, among other things, by Godi Hirschi with his F4U Tigercat and by Erich Züger with his P-38 Lightning, which was created using a 3D printer (!).

We’d like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved—including ASSAG, the operator of the glider airfield in Schänis, as well as the Schänis Model Flyers—who

once again provided with a wonderful—and, aside from a bit of “sheet metal damage” on a Tigercat, a formidable—meeting in Schänis. We’re already looking forward to Schänis 2022!

And don’t forget to register now for the winter event on January 22, 2022, at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne.